In Rio, Olympic ambitions, but a bottom-line conscience

The Olympic Games tend to leave behind artifacts, roadside reminders of what passed through town, elaborate structures such as the Bird’s Nest, the distinctive maze of metal in Beijing, or Munich’s Olympic Stadium, which had large canopies above one side that resembled the Alps.

The Summer Games are less than 10 months away, but already this much is clear: The Rio Olympics will not be a lavish or ostentatious affair. With Brazil in the midst of an economic crisis, the streamlined Games have forced Paes, city officials and the local organizing committee to tackle a two-pronged mission: stage a fiscally responsible event, and one that will still benefit the people of Rio long after the medals have been passed out and the athletes have left town.